Aspirator

ABSTRACT

A disposable, sterilizable aspirator for removal of body fluids comprising a hollow needle which is mounted for axial movement within a support chamber, and is movable out of the chamber for a limited distance to penetrate a body cavity containing fluid which is to be collected. The needle may be spring-loaded. After the needle is in the body cavity, fluid may be withdrawn by connecting a syringe to the free end of a tube connected to the needle, or by a catheter passed through the hollow needle. The needle may be double-ended to penetrate a sealable diaphragm within the support chamber so that the fluid volume to be collected will be collected and covered by the diaphragm after the instrument is removed from its operating position. A bent wire can be inserted in the catheter tube to cause the tube to deflect as it leaves the end of the catheter tube.

United States Patent 72] Inventor Hugo S. Cimber 22 Seven Gables Road, Staten Island, N.Y. 10304 [21] Appl. No. 719,659

[22] Filed Apr. 8, 1968 [45] Patented May 25, 1971 [54] ASPIRATOR 8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 128/276, 128/347 [51] int. Cl A61m U130 [50] Field of Search 128/2,

Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorney-Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen ABSTRACT: A disposable, sterilizable aspirator for removal of body fluids comprising a hollow needle which is mounted for axial movement within a support chamber, and is movable out of the chamber for a limited distance to penetrate a body cavity containing fluid which is to be collected. The needle may be spring-loaded. After the needle is in the body cavity, fluid may be withdrawn by connecting a syringe to the free end of a tube connected to the needle, or by a catheter passed through the hollow needle. The needle may be double-ended to penetrate a scalable diaphragm within the support chamber so that the fluid volume to be collected will be collected and covered by the diaphragm after the instrument is removed from its operating position. A bent wire can be inserted in the catheter tube to cause the tube to deflect as it leaves the end of the catheter tube.

Patented May 25, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. HUGO 5 CIMBER ATTORNEYS Patented May 25, 1971 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 6 &

ASPIRATOR This invention relates to aspirators for collecting body fluids from body cavities, and more specifically relates to a disposable aspiratorwhichprevents excessive penetration into a body cavity.

The extraction of body fluids for diagnostic purposes is a common medical procedure. For example, analysis of fluid from the peritoneal cavity is useful in the diagnosis of cancer of the ovaries. This fluid is customarily reached through the posterial wall of the. vagina, or the vaginal cul-de-sac, by along hypodermicsyringc. In this procedure, however, great care must be taken to avoid too deep a penetration of the needle since the bowel or other organs or tissues could accidentally be penetrated or injured. 4 Spring-loaded hypodermic needles are wellknown for injection of fluid where the needle has only a short penetration. Such devices, however, are suitable only for injection purposes. Moreover, the length of such devices is insufficient to reach the cul-de-sac, and, moreover, could not receive a catheter wire. Such devices are shown in US. Pat. No. 2,804,074.

The threading of a catheter per se through a hollow needle is also well known, as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,017,884, where the hollow needle is used for venipuncture, and a catheter is used to inject or withdraw fluid. Such devices, however, have no means for limiting penetration of the hollow needle to the short distance, required by the invention.

In accordance with the present invention, a novel aspirator is provided which automatically controls the depth of penetration of a hollow needle through the wall of a cavity, even though a long needle is needed to. gain access to the cavity wall. The aspirator is further formed to be easily sterilized. Moreover, the apparatus is sufficiently simple and inexpensive to be disposable after asingle use. The hollow needle is, moreover, spring loaded so that it penetrates the cavity wall with a snap action, thereby to decrease patient discomfort.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide an aspirator and process for gynecologic examination which is easily used and insures asafe procedure.

Another object of this invention is to provide an aspirator which can penetrate a cavity wall for only a short maximum distance.

A further object of this invention is to provide a disposable aspirator having an. automatically limited penetration depth.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel apparatus and process for penetrating the wallof a body cavity for a limited depth with a hollow needle and thereafter threading a catheter into the cavity, through the needle.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

' FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross section of a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a crosssec tional view of FIG. 1 taken across the section line 2-2 in'FlG. l.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section of the hollow needle of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross section of a second embodiment ofthe invention.

- .FIG. Sis a plan view ofthe locking slot section of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 taken across the section line 66 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a side plan view of a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a front plan view of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 8takcn across section line 9-9 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9 taken across section line 10-10 in FIG. 9.

Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the aspirator is comprised ofa plastic body l0 composed of halves I1 and 12 connected to one another in any suitable manner, as by heat-scaling at their opposing rims. Halves ll. and 12 may he of polyethylene, and may be formed by injection molding. The opposing ends of halves 11 and 12 capture a thin, flexible, puncturable diaphragm 13 in any desired manner, as by including the periphery of diaphragm 13 in the heat seal securing halves 11 and 12 together. Diaphragm 13 is the type which may be punctured by a hypodermic needle and, when the needle is removed, will automatically close the opening formed by the needle. Such diaphragms are well known.

Upper half H has two integral bosses l4 and 15 therein, while lower half l2 has an internally threaded neck 16. An elongated hollow polyethylene tube I7 is threaded into threaded neck 16 as shown.

Bosses l4 and [5 then slidably receive hollow needles [8 and 19, respectively, needle 18 being shown enlarged in FIG. 3. Both ends of needles l8 and 19 have bevelled ends for piercing, as shown by bevelled ends 20 and 21 in FIG. 3. Necdles l8 and 19 further have short metal bars 22-23 and 24- -25, respectively, welded or brazed thereto to serve as needle position stops. Bars 22 to 25 are fixed in position, about 0.5 cm. from the respective ends of needles [8 and 19. The needle lengths are so arranged that their bottoms penetrate diaphragm 13 when stops 22 and 24 reach the top of half 11.

The components of the aspirator are clearly simple to manufacture and assemble, and the assemblage may be disposed of after use. Prior to packaging, the assemblage may be sterilized in any suitable manner and suitable sterilized packaging techniques may be employed.

In operation, a flexible tube 16 is attached to the end oftube l7 and a syringe (not shown) is connected to tube 26. The patient preferably is placed in a Fowler's position to insure the presence of peritoneal fluid adjacent the cul-de-sae. The upper head of half 11 is then located against the vaginal culde-sac, with the upper end of needles 22 and 24 penetrating the cul-dc-sac to a depth determined by the location of stops 22 and 24, with stops 22 and 24 resting atop the surface of half ll. Note that excessive penetration of needles l8 and 19 to a possibly dangerous depth is impossible, even though the physician cannot observe the needle position. When needles l8 and 19 move downwardly in their bosses l4 and 15, the bottom of needles [8 and I9 penetrate diaphragm 13 and enter the otherwise sealed chamber 27 below diaphragm 13. The plunger of the syringe connected to tube 26 is then withdrawn to evacuate chamber 27, thereby to draw fluid from the body cavity into chamber 27. The aspirator is then removed from the patient with the fluid sample sealed in chamber 27 against outside contamination. Upon withdrawal, needles l8 and 19 move upwardly and are withdrawn from diaphragm 13, which immediately seals itself. The fluid sample may then be withdrawn in any desired manner when the sample reaches the laboratory.

In the above, it will be apparent that a single needle or a plurality of needles greater than two could have been used.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. In this embodiment, a hollow needle is used to penetrate the wall of a cavity with a catheter thereafter threaded through the needle to whatever depth desired by the physician. Referring to these figures, there is shown a plastic housing 40, of sterilizable material, formed in two halves 41 and 42. The two halves 4] and 42 are heat sealed together against a platform disc 43, which is also of plastic material. Housing 40 may have a length of about 8 inches, and a diameter of about I cm. The ends of halves 41 and 42 have openings 44 and 45, respectively, which are aligned with an opening 46 in platform 43. An elongated hollow needle 47 then passes through openings 44, 45 and 46 and is axially movable with respect to housing 40, its motion being guided by openings 44,

45 and 46.

A stop bar 48 is welded or brazed to the upper end of needle 47, about-0.5 cm. from the top thereof. If desired, stop bar 48 could be a disc threaded on needle 47 to permit adjustment of its axial position. Compression spring 49 is then captured between stop bar-48 and platform 43, biasing needle 47 upwardly. A needle latch means consisting of lever 50, welded to needle 47 and captured in reentrant slot 51 (FIGS. 4 and 5) in half 42 opposes the upward movement of needle 47 until the latch is released by rotating lever 50 to the left in FIG. 5.

A catheter may then be threaded or advanced through nce dle 47 in any desired manner. In one convenient manner for supporting a catheter, the bottom of needle 47 terminates in a plastic collar 52 which suitably receives a catheter tube 53 in the manner of the lntracath," an intravenous catheter placement unit, sold by C. R. Bard Inc. of Murray Hill, New Jersey, as described in C. R. Bard Bulletin H700. lntracath is a Registered Trademark ofC. R. Bard Inc.

Thus, catheter 53 extends along a flexible guard sleeve 54 to a second collar 55. The catheter 53 is advanced in needle 47 by gripping catheter 53 by collapsing guard 54, forcing catheter 53 upward, releasing catheter 53, and repeating the process.

ln operation, the top of housing 40 is placed against the culde-sac and latch 50 is released. Spring 49 then drives the top of needle 47 out of opening 44 for about 0.5 cm., and until stop 48 reaches the bottom surface surrounding opening 44. This distance can be varied by changing the position of stop 48. A syringe is then attached to catheter 53 and the catheter is threaded by needle 47, to any desired height. Fluid from the cavity is then withdrawn by the syringe.

Obviously, other means may be provided for feeding catheter 53 through needle 47 such as the manual feeding ofa bare catheter tube; the mounting of a catheter tube on a reel mounted within a sterilized chamber; and the like.

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and show a third embodiment of the invention wherein an elongated tube 60, which could be of an easily sterilizable metal or plastic, is secured to a support 61 as by welding or heat. sealing, or the like. Tube 60 may have openings through the wall thereof to permit easy sterilization by circulation of sterilizing gas through the tube. Tube 60 and support 61 may have a combined length of about 8 inches. Tube 60 may have a diameter of about inches and support 61 could have a diameter of about 1% inches.

A hollow needle 62 with a beveled end 63 is then slidably held in bore 64 of support 61 and end bore 65 oftubc 60. The left-hand end of needle 62 is swagged in fitting 66 which is secured in the circular body portion 67 of bolt 68. Circular body portion 67 is then rotatable within support 61.

A pair of finger grips 69 and 70 extend from body portion 67 with grips rotatable into aligned indentations 71 and 72 in support 61. Each of indentations 71 and 72 have three steps, shown as sloped steps 73, 74 and 75 for indentation 72 in FIG. 7 having depths of A, k and inches, respectively. Each of steps 73, 74 may have interlock extensions 73a and 74a to prevent accidental rotation of bolt 68.

A washer 76 is then suitably secured to needle 62 and a compression spring 77 is contained between washer 76 and housing 61 as shown in FIG. 9. Note that spring 77 braces needle 62 downward in FIG. 9 and holds bolt 68 in place within support 61.

In operation, the physician first locates the outer end of tube 60 against the cul-de-sac, holding the apparatus by finger grips 69 and 70. Note that grips 69 and 70 may be seated in notches 78 and 79 (FIGS. 7 and 9) in support 61 to prevent accidental rotation of bolt 67 relative to support 61.

Thereafter, the physician withdraws bolt 68 slightly to clear extensions 73a or 74a, and rotates bolt 68 until grips 69 and 70 are aligned with the desired step of indentations 71 and 72, respectively, and then releases the bolt 68 while firmly holding support 61. Spring 77 will then drive the needle 62 outwardly with needle end 65 snapping out of tube 60 for a distance limited by the stop position selected in indentations 71 and 72 in order to penetrate the wall ofthe cul-de-sac.

A standard catheter tube may then be advanced through needle 62 as described above to obtain a fluid sample. Note that the catheter tube can be handled by the physician without the need for surgical gloves, since the portion of the tube being handled will not reach into the cavity being explored. That is, only the length of catheter tube within tube 60 will be advanced out of tube 60.

It has been found useful to place a sterilized, fairly stiff wire bent to a generally semicircular form within the catheter tube before advancing the catheter tube into the cavity to be explored. The wire will be straight as long as it is within needle 62, but will tend to assume its bent form as it leaves tube 62. Thus, as the catheter tube and wire are advanced, the wire and thus the tube will bend as they move into the body cavity. The end of the catheter can then be rotated within the cavity to a desired location, and the wire is then removed to permit withdrawal of fluid from the cavity through the flexible catheter tube which remains in the position set by the curved wire.

Although this invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and, therefore, the scope of this invention is limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An aspirator comprising a housing; an axially movable hollow needle supported within said housing; said housing having an upper wall and a bottom wall; said upper wall having an opening therein; a conduit connected to the bottom of said housing and communicating with said hollow needle; said needle movable through said opening; stop means connected to said needle at a point below the top of said needle; said stop means having a limited movement with respect to said top of said housing; said stop means movable into engagement with said upper wall to define a stop position; said needle having a maximum extension of about V2 inches above said upper wall of said housing when said stop means is in said stop position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 which includes spring bias means connected to said hollow needle and biasing said needle upwardly of said housing; and latch means connected to said needle for latching movement of said needle against the biasing force of said spring.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 which includes catheter means extending through said hollow needle.

4. An aspirator comprising a housing; an axially movable hollow needle supported within said housing; said housing having an upper wall and a bottom wall; said upper wall having an opening therein; a conduit connected to the bottom of said housing and communicating with said hollow needle; said needle movable through said opening; stop means connected to said needle at a point below the top of said needle; said stop means having a limited movement with respect to said top of said housing; said stop means having a stop position; said needle having a maximum extension of about Xi inches above said upper wall of said housing when said stop means is in said stop position; said housing has a scalable diaphragm extending thereacross to define upper and lower chambers; the lower end of said needle positioned adjacent said diaphragm and within said upper chamber; the upper end of said needle extending above the top of said housing; said needle moving downward to move said stop means to said stop position and penetrating said diaphragm when said stop means is in said stop position; said conduit connected to said lower chamber.

5. The aspirator of claim 4 which includes at least a second needle of identical construction to said first needle and supported in a manner identical to the support of said needle.

6. An aspirator for the extraction of body fluid from a cavity; said aspirator comprising:

a. a hollow needle movable in a direction along the axis thereof;

b. an elongated hollow housing surrounding at least a portion of said hollow needle;

c. guide means secured within said housing receiving said hollow needle and guiding the movement of said hollow needle in an axial direction;

d. an operating member connected to said needle and movable with said needle; said operating member having an operatingportion extending externally of said housing movable between a first and second position;

v 7. The aspirator as set forth in claim 6 which further includes spring biasing means connected between said housing and said needle for biasing said needle and operating member toward said second position; and latch means connected to said operating member for matching said operating member in said first position.

8. The aspirator as set forth in claim 6 wherein said hollow needle extends to the opposite end of said hollow housing; and catheter tube means movable through said hollow needle from said opposite end of said hollow housing. 

2. ThE apparatus of claim 1 which includes spring bias means connected to said hollow needle and biasing said needle upwardly of said housing; and latch means connected to said needle for latching movement of said needle against the biasing force of said spring.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 which includes catheter means extending through said hollow needle.
 4. An aspirator comprising a housing; an axially movable hollow needle supported within said housing; said housing having an upper wall and a bottom wall; said upper wall having an opening therein; a conduit connected to the bottom of said housing and communicating with said hollow needle; said needle movable through said opening; stop means connected to said needle at a point below the top of said needle; said stop means having a limited movement with respect to said top of said housing; said stop means having a stop position; said needle having a maximum extension of about 3/4 inches above said upper wall of said housing when said stop means is in said stop position; said housing has a sealable diaphragm extending thereacross to define upper and lower chambers; the lower end of said needle positioned adjacent said diaphragm and within said upper chamber; the upper end of said needle extending above the top of said housing; said needle moving downward to move said stop means to said stop position and penetrating said diaphragm when said stop means is in said stop position; said conduit connected to said lower chamber.
 5. The aspirator of claim 4 which includes at least a second needle of identical construction to said first needle and supported in a manner identical to the support of said needle.
 6. An aspirator for the extraction of body fluid from a cavity; said aspirator comprising: a. a hollow needle movable in a direction along the axis thereof; b. an elongated hollow housing surrounding at least a portion of said hollow needle; c. guide means secured within said housing receiving said hollow needle and guiding the movement of said hollow needle in an axial direction; d. an operating member connected to said needle and movable with said needle; said operating member having an operating portion extending externally of said housing movable between a first and second position; e. said hollow needle having a beveled end portion positioned within said hollow housing and adjacent one end of said hollow housing in which said operating member is in said first position; f. said hollow needle movable beyond the said end of said hollow housing by from about 1/4 inch to about 3/4 inch when said operating member is moved to its said second position; g. said elongated hollow housing having a length of about 8 inches; and h. means to apply suction through said hollow needle.
 7. The aspirator as set forth in claim 6 which further includes spring biasing means connected between said housing and said needle for biasing said needle and operating member toward said second position; and latch means connected to said operating member for matching said operating member in said first position.
 8. The aspirator as set forth in claim 6 wherein said hollow needle extends to the opposite end of said hollow housing; and catheter tube means movable through said hollow needle from said opposite end of said hollow housing. 